Written Answers Tuesday 22 February 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding Scottish Enterprise allocated to research into, and development of (a) organic farming and (b) agricultural biotechnology in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Children with Special Needs

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are grounds for exemption from its policy of inclusion of pupils with special needs in schools.

Peter Peacock: Section 15 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 requires that an education authority shall provide education in a school other than a special school unless a mainstream setting would not be suited to the ability or aptitude of the child; or would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for the children with whom the child would be educated; or would result in unreasonable public expenditure being incurred which would not ordinarily be incurred.

Drug Enforcement Agency

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers in the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) is female, broken down by rank.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  

 
Percentage of SDEA Police Officers who are Female
(%)


Chief Officer
0


Superintendent
33


Inspector
0


Sergeant
7


Constable
14



  Note: Chief officer includes the ranks of chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constable; superintendent includes the rank of chief superintendent, and inspector includes the rank of chief inspector.

Drug Enforcement Agency

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers in the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) is from an ethnic minority, broken down by rank.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  

 
Percentage of SDEA Police Officers from an Ethnic Minority
(%)


Chief Officer
0


Superintendent
0


Inspector
0


Sergeant
0


Constable
0.5



  Note: Chief officer includes the ranks of chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constable; superintendent includes the rank of chief superintendent, and inspector includes the rank of chief inspector.

Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-5132 by Peter Peacock on 27 January 2005, what input philanthropists will have into its education policies.

Peter Peacock: Education policy is set by ministers. We work with others, local authorities, teachers organisations and many others, including philanthropic foundations who are committed to improving the quality of Scottish education, to deliver these policies. The precise contribution of other bodies varies according to each circumstance, but philanthropic foundations have already shown they can bring new ideas as well as financial resources, which help achieve educational improvements.

Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary schools have provided at least two hours of high-quality physical education by a qualified teacher in each of the last three years and how many schools expect to provide such education in each of the next three years.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. In my response to the PE Review Group report of June 2004, I outlined a 10 point action plan for taking forward the group’s recommendation. This work includes the gathering of baseline data, against which we will monitor the delivery of two hours quality PE in schools, and officials are exploring how this might be best achieved.

Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of primary school children was physically active in each of the last three years.

Peter Peacock: Based on the National Physical Activity Strategy definition of physical activity (see answer to question S2W-14341 on 22 February 2005), all physically able primary school children should have been physically active in each of the last three years.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been charged by the police as a result of information from the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been charged by the police for fly-tipping not as a result of information from the "Dumb Dumpers" hotline since the hotline was established.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of "physically active".

Peter Peacock: In their 2003 strategy for physical activity, the Physical Activity Task Force defined physical activity as "a broad term to describe movement of the body that uses energy", which can refer to any activity involving movement including walking, housework, manual labour and so on. This strategy was fully accepted by ministers, and has provided the basis for work in this area since then.

Health

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the next report of the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) have today published their Thirty - Fourth Report of the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration . I am grateful to the chairman and members of the review body for their hard work.

  This year’s report deals primarily with general dental practitioners, doctors and dentists in training, non-consultant career grade doctors and medical and dental consultants who have chosen not to take up new contracts. For consultants taking up new contracts, general medical practitioners and the salaried primary dental care services, 2005-06 will be the third year of a three-year pay deal agreed as part of NHS pay modernisation.

  The review body has recommended with effect from 1 April 2005 general increases in remuneration of 3% for doctors and dentists in training and for consultants who remain on the old contract; 3.225% for non-consultant career grade doctors; and an increase of 3.4% per cent in gross fees for general dental practitioners.

  I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Executive is accepting the DDRB’s recommendations for 2005-06 in full and without staging. Copies of the DDRB report will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35368).

Historic Scotland

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded to Historic Scotland in each of the last three years and how much will be awarded in each of the next three years.

Patricia Ferguson: The funding for Historic Scotland is as follows:

  

 
2002-03
(£000)
Actual
2003-04
(£000)
Actual
2004-05
(£000)
Actual
2005-06
(£000)
Plans
2006-07
(£000)
Plans
2007-08
(£000)
Plans


Scottish Executive Funding
36,787
37,287
39,644
42,575
44,425
47,725

Marches

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the recommendations of Sir John Orr’s review of marches and parades will not adversely impact on local gala days, festivals and common ridings.

Cathy Jamieson: When implemented, the recommendations from the Review of Marches and Parades will apply to all processions. A number of the recommendations require legislation to implement and we are consulting on these in Supporting Police, Protecting Communities  (ISBN 0-7559-4512-3), published on 9 February .

  While we intend to legislate to require all organisers to give 28 days’ notice to local authorities of their intention to hold a procession, we recognise that it might be appropriate to exempt some organisations from some of the other requirements to ensure that the process is not overly onerous. For recommendations which do not require legislation, we will be working with local authorities, the police and organisers to ensure they are implemented in a practical way.

Ministerial Events

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Bute House has been used since 1999 for functions or events other than those related solely to its use as the official residence of the First Minister.

Ms Margaret Curran: There have been 134 ministerial functions held in Bute House since 1999. Private functions held in Bute House are arranged, and the costs met, by the First Minister. Records are not kept of private events held in Bute House.

Multiple Sclerosis

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people there are with multiple sclerosis (MS), broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not available centrally in the form requested. Information obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population is broadly nationally representative suggests that approximately 7,400 patients with multiple sclerosis were seen by GPs, practice nurses, district nurses and health visitors in the year ended March 2004. However, the Executive recognises that this may be an underestimate since some people with MS may not need to visit their GP surgery in the course of any given year.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crimes were recorded by the police in (a) 1945, (b) 1955, (c) 1965, (d) 1975 and (e) each year since 1985, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested for 1945 to 1975 is given for Scotland in table 1. During 1975, 20 Scottish police forces were reorganised into the eight current police forces. Figures for police force areas comparable with those after 1975 are therefore not available. The requested information for 1985 and 1986 is given in table 2. For the years from 1987, the data has been published annually in the Recorded Crime Statistical Bulletin. Table 3 details the table number and Bib. number for each publication, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  Table 1: Number of Crimes Recorded by the Police in Scotland in Specified Years, 1945 to 1975

  

1945
1955
1965
19751


86,075
74,773
140,141
281,485



  Note: 1. Data for 1975 is incomplete due to local government reorganisation.

  Table 2: Number of Crimes Recorded by the Police by Police Force Area, 1985 and 1986

  

Police Force
1985
1986


All Scotland
457,899
458,605


Central
19,986
20,295


Dumfries and Galloway
7,132
7,280


Fife
23,186
23,112


Grampian
33,093
37,161


Lothian and Borders
82,519
78,606


Northern
11,888
12,173


Strathclyde
248,448
245,240


Tayside
31,647
34,738



  Table 3: Bib. Numbers and Table Numbers for Published Statistics for Recorded Crimes by Police Force Area, 1987 to 2003

  

Title
Bib. Number
Table Number


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1987
35176
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1988
35177
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1989
35178
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1990
35179
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1991
35180
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1992
35181
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1993
35182
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1994
35183
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1995
35184
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1996
35185
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1997
24795
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1998
35186
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1999
7079
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2000
13119
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2001
20798
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2002
27678
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2003
33018
4A

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences were recorded by the police in (a) 1945, (b) 1955, (c) 1965, (d) 1975 and (e) each year since 1985, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested for 1945 to 1975 is given for Scotland in table 1. During 1975, 20 Scottish police forces were reorganised into the eight current police forces. Figures for police force areas comparable with those after 1975 are therefore not available. The requested information for 1985 and 1986 is given in table 2. For the years from 1987, the data has been published annually in the Recorded Crime Statistical Bulletin. Table 3 details the table number and Bib. number for each publication, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  Table 1: Number of Offences Recorded by the Police in Scotland in Specified Years, 1945 to 1975

  

1945
1955
1965
19751


75,596
120,979
224,260
293,629



  Note: 1. Data for 1975 is incomplete due to local government reorganisation.

  Table 2: Number of Offences Recorded by the Police in Scotland by Police Force Area, 1985 and 1986

  

Police Force Area
1985
1986


All Scotland
338,410
358,533


Central
17,533
18,185


Dumfries and Galloway
14,136
13,171


Fife
20,307
21,210


Grampian
38,275
40,628


Lothian and Borders
46,637
48,034


Northern
19,132
21,782


Strathclyde
153,575
166,361


Tayside
28,815
29,162



  Table 3: Bib. Numbers and Table Numbers for Published Statistics for Recorded Offences by Police Force Area, 1987 to 2003

  

Title
Bib. Number
Table Number


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1987
35176
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1988
35177
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1989
35178
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1990
35179
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1991
35180
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1992
35181
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1993
35182
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1994
35183
5


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1995
35184
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1996
35185
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1997
24795
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1998
35186
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 1999
7079
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2000
13119
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2001
20798
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2002
27678
4A


Recorded Crime in Scotland 2003
33018
4A

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of recruits to police training leave before the completion of the training.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers leave within two years of joining the service.

Cathy Jamieson: The percentage of recruits who leave before the end of their training is not held centrally but is likely to vary from year to year. In 2003-04 there were 966 recruits to the Scottish Police Service. In the same year, 34 recruits (equivalent to 3.5% of the number joining in that year) left through voluntary resignation. However, the initial training period for new recruits lasts for up to two years, and some of these leavers may have been recruited in 2002-03.

  Information relating to those who may have been required to resign or who may have transferred to other forces outside Scotland is not held centrally.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of female recruits to police training leave before the completion of the training.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of female police officers leave within two years of joining the service.

Cathy Jamieson: The percentage of recruits who leave before the end of their training is not held centrally but is likely to vary from year to year. In 2003-04 there were 306 female recruits to the Scottish Police Service. In the same year, 11 female recruits (equivalent to 3.6% of the number joining in that year) left through voluntary resignation. However, the initial training period for new recruits lasts for up to two years and some of these leavers may have been recruited in 2002-03.

  Information about those who may have been required to resign or who may have transferred to other forces outside Scotland is not held centrally.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of recruits to police training from an ethnic minority leave before the completion of the training.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers from an ethnic minority leave within two years of joining the service.

Cathy Jamieson: The percentage of recruits who leave before the end of their training is not held centrally but is likely to vary from year to year. In 2003-04 there were 15 ethnic minority recruits to the Scottish Police Service. In the same year, one ethnic minority recruit left through voluntary resignation. However, because the initial training period for new recruits lasts for up to two years, the information held centrally does not indicate whether this leaver was recruited in 2002-03 or 2003-04.

  Information relating to those who may have been required to resign or who may have transferred to other forces outside Scotland is not held centrally.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Smoking

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will investigate systems that will improve ventilation of the smoking room at Holyrood for the benefit of smokers and non-smokers alike and, if so, when.

John Scott (Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The air change rate in the smoking room is 32 litres/second/person and is in line with recommended rates for smoking rooms as specified by the CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers). Improvements are currently being addressed by RMJM who are designing two additional filters, a carbon filter and an electrostatic filter. The carbon filter will reduce the smell of smoke outside the room and the electrostatic filter will improve air quality within the smoking room.